Here are excerpts from four more maiden speeches delivered during Thursday’s debate on poverty. Tracey Crouch, who gained Chatham and Aylesford, said that there was “no easy answer” to solving poverty: “It is not just one thing that needs to change. Low income, family breakdown, addiction, mental health problems and criminal behaviour contribute to a […]
Pauline Latham is the newly-elected MP for the new constituency of Mid Derbyshire. In her maiden speech this week, she explained that a "spiteful" decision by Labour-controlled Derbyshire County Council politicised her in the 1980s, as well as explaining how she has started a social action project in Uganda: "I am fortunate to have known […]
Here are excerpts from the maiden speeches this week from two former local councillors elected to represent their patch in the Commons. Justin Tomlinson, who gained Swindon North, deplored the lack of open spaces in new build developments: “I am concerned about the long-term quality-of-life issues arising from new build development. In the 10 years […]
Among the maiden speeches made during the Second Reading debate on the bill to abolish ID cards were two from newly-elected Tory MPs from West Yorkshire. Former Bradford Council leader Kris Hopkins gained Keighley at the election and enthusiastically back the bill: "I want to say a few words about identity documents. As has been […]
Maiden speeches are often used by MPs to speak up for local industries in their constituencies. Here are three such example from this week: On Tuesday, Guto Bebb, MP for the new Aberconwy seat, gave local tourism and agriculture his backing: "Aberconwy is a diverse constituency. It is dependent on tourism, with Llandudno, which I […]
During the final day of debate on the Queen's Speech on Tuesday, two new Conservative MPs touched on important educational matters in their maiden speeches: Damian Hinds, who replaced Michael Mates in Hampshire East, told the House: "As the new powerhouses of China, India, Russia and Brazil loom ever larger, we must rise to the […]
The new MP for Gosport, Caroline Dinenage, used her maiden speech on Wednesday to celebrate her constituency's "800-year history as a vital part in the defence of the realm": “We still have a range of military facilities including for engineering training and helicopter maintenance, but the prospect of shutting any more of those bases would […]
Three of this week's maiden speeches delivered by new Conservative MPs featured particular praise for Baroness Thatcher. Mike Freer gained Finchley and Golders Green for the Conservatives – a seat taking in much of the constituency represented by the former Prime Minister: "Those hon. Members in the Chamber a couple of days ago will have […]
During Tuesday's debate concentrating on the economy, two of the new Conservative MPs making maiden speeches hgihglighted the needs to get to grips with the deficit. David Rutley, who stepped into Sir Nicholas Winterton's shoes as MP for Macclesfield, explained: "We have to get this economy working again, which means that we must focus on […]
At the general election, Steve Baker inherited the Wycombe constituency from Paul Goodman, now of this parish. Steve began his maiden speech on Tuesday with a warm tribute to Paul: "The most consistent theme of my candidacy was, above all, the tribute to my predecessor, and I feel I can scarcely do him justice. Paul […]
More maiden speeches from yesterday’s debate on the Queen’s Speech, focusing on the economy. Nicky Morgan, who gained Loughborough at the general election, emphasised the importance of the manufacturing sector: “Much has already been said—and, I am sure, will continue to be said—about spending cuts and tax rises, but more needs to be said about […]
Two MPs who were elected at the general election for the same seats that their fathers once represented made their maiden speeches yesterday. First there was Robin Walker, son of Lord Walker of Worcester: "There was, of course, another Member for Worcester with whom I am very familiar, but as my hon. Friend spoke so […]
There were a large number of maiden speeches during yesterday's final day of debate on the Queen's Speech. Sajid Javid, who is the new MP for Bromsgrove, used his real world experience to put the case for "sound public finances, low taxation and light regulation": "To the dismay of the right hon. Member for Holborn […]
The outgoing Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, Simon Hart, gained the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire at the election and of his rural constituency, he said that “it should not be thought that everything is rosy in our particular garden”: “We have the same economic and social problems as any other constituency, which is […]
Matthew Hancock, who replaced Richard Spring as MP for Suffolk West, used his maiden speech yesterday to endorse “the devolution of power to people more locally:”: “That is a thread that binds together all of us on this side of the House. We believe that the constitution has become too centralised and that local people […]